Columbus has bragging rights to being home to three world-class golf courses: The Falls, Big Easy, and the newly opened Darmor, all within minutes of Columbus. Although these are members-only clubs, we can also brag about several municipal golf courses in the region that offer a good day on the course; this is subjective, of course, to your level of expectations.
Regardless of where you choose to play or your level of expertise, each course has its own uniqueness, attracts a specific golfing experience, and offers varying amenities. The good news for local economies is that golfers want to shop, eat, and stay in Columbus and the region.
According to the most recent National Golf Foundation’s Golf Impact Report that covered 2023, “golf has a direct impact of almost $102 billion on the U.S. economy… and enables over 1.65 million jobs” and further estimates that “26.6 million Americans played on a golf course in 2023.” About one million increase over 2022. Drilling down on each state in their Economic Impact of Golf in Texas, shows that 98,859 jobs, $2.4B in wage income, and $7.4B were the total 2022-2023 impact golf had on the Texas economy.
Hal Sutton, golf pro and architect of the Darmor Golf Club, recently spoke at the Chamber Member’s Luncheon. He emphasized that Columbus is growing, more people are coming, and golf is one of those economic drivers that is bringing them.
He spoke about the vision of Darmor, emphasizing that it is a different golfing experience than the technology revolution that has hit the golfing world in the last decade. Darmor is far removed from the technology advancements that James Etter talks about in his article, The Evolution of Golf in Texas: TrendsShapingtheFuture,when he points out that the “GPS-enabled golf carts…are becoming standard at many Texas facilities.”
Not just GPS-enabled golf carts are on the courses, but smart wearables are another technological advancement. More players are using “smart gloves and wristbands equipped with sensors [that] capture data on your swing speed, club angle, grip pressure, and more, allowing players to improve their performance and track their progress” (Jermusek).
These types of technology advancements may be what has led to younger demographics playing golf including the growth of 15,000 high school students across the United States in the last decade. This last year “238 thousand high school students were playing golf (155k boys / 83k girls); up from ten years prior with 223 thousand students playing the game (152.5k boys / 71k girls)” (Statista).
Golf also adds an education piece; “First Green, [has implemented] a K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) outreach program that uses golf courses as a live laboratory. Students participate in hands-on, outdoor activities and learn about wildlife habitat, soil science, environmental sustainability, mathematics and more,” (Oehler).
The popularity of simulators and alternative forms of the game is also seeing meaningful growth with a reported “45 million Americans [playing] some version of golf in 2023.” “That is up nine percent from the previous year and more than 50 percent in the past decade.” (Fairholm).
“Tech has increasingly made its way into the sport….With even more innovation and fine-tuning, tech has transformed the game of golf for players at all levels” (Jermusek). No matter where you play, or how you play, there is a place that will be a good fit for you. Public, world class, technology based, or at Darmor where Hal was very clear that they honor history, simplicity, uniqueness, and playing “for the love of the game.” Golf in Texas is here in Columbus and Colorado County. Enjoy!
References
Etter, J. Oct. 9, 2024. The Evolution of Golf in Texas: Trends Shaping the Future.
Retrieved from https://jamesetter. com/the-evolution-of-golf-in-texastrends- shaping-the-future/ Fairholm, S. Jan. 26, 2024. Golf Is Still Booming—But Will Growing Prices Slow Progress?
Retrieved from https://mygolfspy. com/news-opinion/golf-is-still-booming- but-will-growing-prices-slow-progress/ Jermusek, F. SVN | NorthCo. 2024. Looking Ahead to the State of the Golf Industry in 2025.
Retrieved from https://www.northco. com/blog/looking-ahead-to-the-stateof- the-golf-industry-in-2025 National Golf Foundation. 2024. Golf Impact Report.
Retrieved fromhttps://www.ngf. org/product/golf-economic-impact-report- 2023/ National Golf Foundation. 2024. Golf In Texas 2023.
Retrieved from https://www.ngf. org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Texas- 2023_3.pdf Oehler, C. Feb. 16, 2024. Golf Leads The Way In Sustainability.
Retrieved from https://www.forbes. com/sites/candaceoehler/2024/02/16/ golf-leads-the-way-in-sustainability/ Statista Research Department. Nov 11, 2024. Golf participation levels among high school students in the U.S. 20122024.
Retrieved from https://www.statista. com/statistics/267958/participation-inus- high-school-golf/
